Colin Snow
Newborns sleep for around 14 to 19 hours a day, but they don't yet have a sense of day and night, so they sleep and wake up every few hours to feed. This can be a difficult adjustment for new parents, who may consider having their newborn sleep in the same bed as them. While bed-sharing is a tradition in many cultures, pediatricians caution against it due to the risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation. However, some parents still choose to co-sleep or may find themselves doing so unintentionally. If you choose to co-sleep, it's important to create a safe sleep environment to reduce these risks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amount of sleep | Newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, with some newborns sleeping up to 18-19 hours a day. |
| Feeding | Newborns wake up every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed more frequently (every 2-3 hours) compared to bottle-fed babies (every 3-4 hours). |
| Sleep patterns | Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and will sleep around the clock. It may take a few weeks for them to differentiate between night and day. |
| Co-sleeping | Co-sleeping or bed-sharing is a common practice in many cultures, but it has been associated with an increased risk of SIDS. If you choose to co-sleep, create a safe sleep environment to reduce risks. |
| Sleep environment | The baby's sleep space should be clear of hazards such as pillows, blankets, toys, and cords. The mattress should be firm, flat, and level, and the room should be smoke-free. |
| Sleep position | It is recommended to place the baby on their back to sleep, away from the edge of the bed and next to one parent. Avoid placing them between parents or next to other children or pets. |
| Routine | Establishing a bedtime routine can help, such as keeping things calm and quiet during nighttime feedings and diaper changes. |
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What You'll Learn
Safe co-sleeping practices
While co-sleeping is not recommended, some parents choose to do so. If you are considering co-sleeping, it is important to be aware of the potential risks and to take steps to create a safe sleep environment for your baby. Here are some safe co-sleeping practices to consider:
Breastfeed your baby: Breastfeeding has been shown to significantly protect infants from death, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and secondary diseases or congenital conditions.
Ensure a safe sleep surface: Make sure your mattress fits tightly into the bed frame, leaving no gaps or spaces. Avoid using fluffy materials, beanbag mattresses, or waterbeds with infants. Infants should never sleep on couches or sofas, as they can slip down face-first or become wedged and suffocate. If bed-sharing, always place your baby on their back on a separate surface next to the mother, rather than in the bed.
Avoid smoking: Safe infant sleep begins with a healthy gestation, specifically without the fetus being exposed to maternal smoke during pregnancy.
Be mindful of your own sleep habits: If you or your partner have taken any drugs or medications that make you feel sleepy or less aware, be especially cautious about co-sleeping. Falling asleep holding a baby on a couch or chair is always unsafe.
Share a room, not a bed: Sharing a room with your baby can decrease the risk of SIDS by up to 50% and is generally safer than bed-sharing. Keep your baby's sleep space in the same room as you, on a separate safe surface.
Keep your baby's head and face uncovered: Keep pillows, blankets, and adult bedding away from your baby to prevent accidental suffocation or strangulation. Use a safe sleeping bag with no hood and make sure your baby's arms are out. Do not wrap or swaddle your baby when bed-sharing or co-sleeping.
Remember, every family and baby is unique, and you should make the decision that is right for your own circumstances. Always follow safe sleep recommendations to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths.
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How much newborns sleep
Newborns generally sleep for 12 to 16 hours in a 24-hour period, with some sleeping up to 18 or even 19 hours a day. Their sleep is spread throughout the day in short bursts of one to two hours, or sleep cycles, which are usually around 20 to 50 minutes long. This is because their tiny stomachs cannot hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for long, so they wake often to eat. Breastfed babies feed very frequently, about every 2 to 3 hours, while bottle-fed babies tend to feed less often, about every 3 to 4 hours.
Newborns do not know the difference between day and night and do not have established sleep-wake rhythms. They will gradually learn that night-time is for sleeping, but this may take a few weeks or months. In the meantime, it's important to try to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes, and to keep the lights low. You can also help your newborn learn to sleep more at night by exposing them to light and gently playing with them during the day.
It's important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. Some settling techniques may be hard to keep doing long-term, such as holding your baby until they fall asleep. This can create a negative sleep association, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep. Instead, you can try swaddling (wrapping the baby in a light blanket), which can help to soothe a crying baby. You can also get your baby used to sleeping through a certain amount of noise, which can be helpful if you're not sleeping at the same time as your baby.
The first 3 months are an important time for both you and your baby to learn how to feed and to develop a routine together. During the first weeks of a baby's life, some parents choose to room-share, which can help with feeding, comforting, and monitoring at night. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing, as bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and other sleep-related deaths.
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Establishing a sleep routine
Recognise Sleep Cues
It's important to watch your baby's sleep cues and respond accordingly. Your baby might show signs of tiredness soon after a feed or after playing. Look out for common signs of tiredness, such as fussing or rubbing their eyes. Don't wait until your baby is overtired to put them to bed, as an exhausted baby will have more trouble falling and staying asleep.
Teach the Difference Between Day and Night
Since newborns don't have an internal "clock" that distinguishes day from night, it's important to teach them this difference. During the day, keep the lights on, open the windows, and engage in active and energetic activities. At night, turn down the lights, speak softly, and move more slowly and quietly. This will help your baby understand that nighttime is for sleeping.
Establish a Bedtime Routine
Create a calming and predictable bedtime routine to help set the stage for healthy sleep habits. This could include activities such as giving your baby a soothing bath, reading a story, singing a lullaby, or playing soft music. Once your baby recognises this pattern, they will start to associate it with sleepiness.
Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment
Make sure your baby's bedroom is dark, cool (but not cold), and quiet. Ensure that all sleep products, such as cribs or bassinets, meet federal safety standards to provide a safe sleep environment.
Be Flexible and Responsive
In the early months, it's important to be flexible and follow your baby's lead. Newborns often need help settling to sleep, so you can use techniques like swaddling or rocking to soothe them. Remember that growth spurts, teething, and illnesses can all affect your baby's sleep patterns, so be prepared to adjust your routine as needed.
Seek Support
If you're struggling to establish a sleep routine or have concerns about your baby's sleep habits, don't hesitate to seek support from your partner, family, or healthcare professionals.
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The risks of co-sleeping
Co-sleeping with a newborn can be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal. While it is a tradition in many cultures, and some anthropologists argue that it is a practice as old as our species, doctors in the US say that it puts an infant at risk of sleep-related death.
To reduce the risks of co-sleeping, it is recommended that parents create a safe sleep environment for their baby. This includes ensuring the baby sleeps on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, in a clear space that is not too hot and is entirely smoke-free. It is also important to remove any items that might create a strangulation risk, such as jewellery, necklaces, or long hair.
While co-sleeping can be dangerous, there are ways to make it safer. If you are considering co-sleeping, it is important to take the necessary precautions to reduce the risks and prioritize your baby's safety.
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Newborn sleep patterns
Newborns generally sleep between 12 and 19 hours a day, but this is usually in short bursts of 20 to 50 minutes, known as sleep cycles. They do not yet know the difference between day and night and will wake up frequently, often because they need to be fed or changed.
Newborns have different sleep cycles to adults. Their sleep cycles consist of active sleep, when they may move, groan, open their eyes, cry out or breathe noisily or irregularly, and quiet sleep, when they will lie relatively still and their breathing will be more even.
At the end of a sleep cycle, newborns enter a quiet alert phase, where they are still but awake and taking in their environment. They may look at objects and respond to sounds and motion. This progresses to the active alert phase, where they are attentive to sights and sounds and move actively. After this, there is a crying phase, where the baby's body moves erratically and they may cry loudly.
It is important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. Some settling techniques, such as holding your baby until they fall asleep, can create a negative sleep association, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep.
Over the first few weeks to months, you and your baby will begin to settle into a routine. It may take a few weeks for your baby's brain to learn the difference between night and day. You can help your baby learn this by exposing them to light and playing with them gently during the day, and providing a dim and quiet environment at night. It is a good idea to teach your baby that night-time is different from daytime from the start. During the day, open the curtains, play games and don't worry about everyday noises when they sleep. At night, keep things quiet and calm during feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play with or talk to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping.
Babies may not be able to form their own sleeping and waking patterns, so you can help your baby sleep by knowing the signs of sleep readiness, teaching them to fall asleep on their own, and providing the right environment for comfortable and safe sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
Co-sleeping with a newborn can be dangerous and increases the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). However, it is a tradition in at least 40% of all documented cultures. If you choose to co-sleep, it is important to know how to reduce the risks. For example, your baby should sleep on their back on a firm, flat, and level surface, in a clear space away from pillows, sheets, blankets, and other items that could cause suffocation.
Newborns sleep around the clock and should get 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day.
Newborns don't yet have a sense of day and night, so it helps to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and don't play with or talk to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping.
